Atherosclerosis, drug targeting

Sheikine YA, Hansson GK. Chemokines as potential therapeutic targets in atherosclerosis. Curr Drug Targets 2006 7(l) 13-27. 

MR Molecular Imaging and Drug Targeting of Atherosclerosis with Contrast Agents... 

Arnaud C, Veillard NR, Mach F. Cholesterol-independent effects of statins in inflammation, immunomodulation and atherosclerosis. Curr Drug Targets Cardiovasc Haematol Disord. 2005 5 127-134. 

Jans DM, Martinet W, Van De Parre TJ, Herman AG, Bult H, Kockx MM, De Meyer GR (2006) Processing of amyloid precursor protein as a biochemical link between atherosclerosis and Alzheimer s disease. Cardiovasc Hematol Disord Drug Targets 6 21-34... 

Endothelial Lipase A Novel Drug Target for HDL and Atherosclerosis ... 

Jakel, H., Fruchart-Najib, J., Fruchart, J. C. Retinoic acid receptor-related orphan receptor alpha as a therapeutic target in the treatment of dyslipidemia and atherosclerosis. Drug News Perspect. 2006, 19, 91-97. 

Hyperlipidemia can lead to atherosclerosis and subsequent cardiovascular incidents such as thrombosis and infarction. This condition is often treated by a combination of drug therapy and diet and life-style modifications. Pharmacologic interventions are typically targeted toward decreasing the synthesis of harmful (atherogenic) plasma components, including certain lipoproteins (IDL, LDL, VLDL) that are associated with atherosclerotic plaque formation. 

In view of the detailed published information available on the presence, functional characteristics, and localization of scavenger receptor populations in atherosclerotic lesions (cf. above) as well as the known structural similarity between modified LDL and LCM (cf. Sections 12.1, 14.2.2-14.2.2(ii)), LCM-directed drug delivery to atherosclerotic lesions may offer a means for targeted drug-delivery therapy of atherosclerosis. 

Nuclear factor kappa B (NF-kB) serves as a central regulator of the human immune and inflammatory response, and is a family of inducible transcription factors found virtually ubiquitously in all cells and functions in a variety of human diseases including those related to inflammation, cancer, asthma, atherosclerosis, AIDS, septic shock, and arthritis. Due to its role in a wide variety of diseases, NF-kB has become one of the major targets for drug development. Inhibition of NF-kB activity potentially contributes to cancer chemoprevention [27,28]. 

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